If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Nintendo Wifi adapter compatibility forthcoming?

Forgive me if I sound frustrated. I am.

I just bought, installed, and registered the latest version of ZoneAlarm Security Suite. It was going great until I realized I could no longer connect to the Nintendo WFC service through the Nintendo Wifi USB adapter. Of course, only after searching for a solution do I find out this is a well-known, oft-referenced, and totally unresolvable problem. I suppose I should have done my research beforehand, but how was I supposed to know this could be an issue?

The last complaint about this problem seems to have been made 11 months ago, so maybe there's been progress since then. Anybody have a solution, please? Nintendo's site lists ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite as the sole program with which it is incompatible, requiring it be fully uninstalled, not merely disabled. (I wonder who **bleep**ed them off.)

And I can't tell you how unamusing it is to hear that the free versions of ZoneAlarm are able to work around this problem, but the ZoneAlarm I paid good money for cannot. I feel like an *****. No wonder nobody pays for software anymore.

So is there a patch? And if not, how long you think until the developers make one? I can wait if there's a fix on the horizon. Otherwise I have no clue what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Nintendo Wifi adapter compatibility forthcoming?

After much googling and fiddling and testing, I managed to find a solution to my problem. I wrote a little guide so others in a similar bind might benefit from my hours of frustration. I'll put it in a reply so if any mods want to move it around and delete the original message, they may.

I would still like to see this problem addressed in future versions of ZoneAlarm, though. If anyone's listening.

Nintendo USB Wifi adapter + ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite

Anybody who hopes to use the Nintendo USB Wifi Adapter while running the ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite will quickly learn that the two don't play well together. Nintendo's tech support and others will tell you they don't work at all. However, after much frustration, research, and trial and error, I have found a way to connect to the Nintendo WFC without totally disabling or uninstalling ZoneAlarm. It requires some jumping through hoops, but it works.

Bear in mind that these instructions apply to the most up-to-date version of the Internet Security Suite as of this writing (version 7.0.462.000). If you're using a different version of ZoneAlarm, it may not work for you. I didn't fiddle too much with ZoneAlarm's default settings, so if you have, you may need to reset them to default. I'm also on Windows XP Home SP2, should that make a difference.

CAUTION: Performing these steps WILL lower some of the security features of ZoneAlarm. My advice is to do this only when you want to play on Nintendo WFC, then reset ZoneAlarm's settings back to their original values once you're done playing. Even that is no guarantee of safety, so follow these steps at your own risk. I am not a security expert, just mildly paranoid.

Step 1: In the PROGRAM CONTROL section, click on the PROGRAMS tab. In the list of programs, locate &quot;Nintendo Wi-Fi Connector USB&quot;. Under the heading TRUST LEVEL, set it to SUPER. Place four checks under ACCESS:Trusted, ACCESS:Internet, SERVER:Trusted, SERVER:Internet.

Step 2: Locate &quot;Generic Host Process for Win32 Services&quot; in that same list of programs. Under the heading TRUST LEVEL, set it to SUPER if it isn't already. Make sure that the four headings, ACCESS:Trusted, ACCESS:Internet, SERVER:Trusted, SERVER:Internet, are checked. (In my list, SERVER:Internet has an X (block) by default instead of a check (allow). When I disconnect from Nintendo WFC, I always set this back to X. I don't know what this program does exactly but if ZoneAlarm says it should be blocked, then I block it.)

Step 3: Go to the FIREWALL section and click on the ZONES tab. If your Nintendo Wifi USB adapter is plugged in, you should see it in the list. Make sure it's set to the INTERNET zone.

Step 4: Still in the FIREWALL section, click on the MAIN tab. In the INTERNET ZONE SECURITY section, click the CUSTOM button. In the list that appears, locate &quot;Allow incoming TCP ports&quot; and &quot;Allow outgoing TCP ports.&quot; Put a check beside each, entering these numbers in the &quot;Ports&quot; field for both: 28910, 29900, 29901, 29920, 433, 80. (These are the ports Nintendo WFC uses to communicate with your computer. I'm assuming hackers can also use these ports if they find them open, so uncheck both when you're not connected to Nintendo WFC. You can leave the numbers there.) Click OK.

Step 5: Still in the MAIN tab, set your INTERNET ZONE SECURITY slider to Medium. If it's on High (stealth mode), the Nintendo WFC won't be able to see you. (This is the last thing I do when I want to play online, and the first thing I reset when I'm finished.)

You should now be able to connect to Nintendo WFC. Low-level alerts may come up asking you to Allow or Deny the couple of programs required to connect. If you have no problems with your computer (no viruses or security issues) then Allow them.

If a block alert pops up showing 192.168.1.x, it means the Nintendo WFC can't reach you. If you're certain you've followed all these steps accurately, well... I don't know what else to say. Check again?

If your Nintendo device can't connect and displays Error 52103, it's most likely the firewall. Otherwise confirm with Nintendowifi.com that the network is functioning properly, fiddle a bit with these settings, and keep trying.